Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-05-13
THE EVIDENCE ALL IN.
ARGUMENTS OF COUNSEL, IN THE MURDER
TRIAL, TO BEGIN TO-DAY.
The Story Told by the Defendant When Placed
Upon the Stand-A Large Crowd
Present

The Story Told by the Defendant When Placed
Upon the Sand-A Large Crowd
Present
The trial of Elmer Clark, charged with
the murder of William O'Neal, was re-
sumed before Judge Jacob, in Part Two of
the Circuit Court, at 8 o'clock yesterday
morning. As was the case upon the previ-
Gus day, there was very large attendance
of interested spectators, most OF those
present remaining i'll the Court room
throughout the entire day. The State re-
sumed its case at the opening, Joseph
ricketts, and Joseph Reneicke being the
| last witnesses called. At 10 O'Clock the
State rested it's case, and the defense called
Mrs. Annie Keim, better known us Ann
Wooster. She was retired almost immedi-
ately, however, and Mrs. Frank GoOdall,
colored woman, was called to the stand.
This witness lived in Elm Grove. On
March 2d, the day of the murder, William
O'Neal came to the house occupied by wit
ness, and asked for something to eat,
After O'Neal left witness saw him take a
pistol from his pocket, examine it, and
then put it back. Witness told Elmer
Clark that O'Neal had a revolver and
added that he had "better look out"
Clark said nothing to her in reply. A
little later O'Neal came back to the
house of witness, and asked if his dinner
was ready. He was again told he could
get nothing to eat there, when he left and
went to Clark's house. Mrs. Hanson, 4
neighbor, called to him and told him there
was no one there, whereat Clark swOre, and
then went to Mrs. LOhman's, Mrs. Clark 5
sister. He was told he could get nothing
there either. O'Neal then went up the
railroad track, where he met and talked to
Mr.. Martin. While talking to Martin
O'Neai called Clark vile names, said he was
not married to his wife, and threatened to
kill them both BY this time Clark had
gone to his house, and was standing in his !
door. O'Neal called TO him, and applied |
vile epithets to him. Clark told him to 90 |
away, but O'Neal said: 81 have come to |
kill you and your wife, you - of a"
and started TO 90 up to the railroad track. |
Clark met him and proposed to lay aside |
their pistols and settle the matter in n
fight. Clark handed his pistol to
John Lehman who was standing
near by, and O'Neal offered
his pistol to another man, who refused to
take it. O'Neal then presented his pistol |
at Clark, who grabbed his own revolver
from Lehman and fired.
Mrs. Annie keim was then called. She |
detailed the visit O'Neal made to Wash |
ington, Pa, last summer, and also the |
talk O'Neal had had with her, the day be- |
fore the murder, when he said he was
going TO Elm Grove. Witness told O'Neal !
Clark had shown her q revolver in Wash /
ingtOn, and said he had hunted for O'Neal |
there but failed to find him. Cross-exam-
ined, Mrs Keim said Clark had told her
he intended to kill ONeal.
Edwin GOOdall cOrrebOrated his wite's |
evidence rs did also Louis Hanson. IN the ,
main particulars.
In the afternoon two witnesses tes- /
titled that O'Neal had drank beer in the /
Elm Grove saloon.
Mrs. Frank Martin said ONeal was .
1ourishing his revolver near the little !
bridge ONeil said he intended to kill |
Clark and his wife. Witness told Mrs. !
Clark to tell Clark so that he might not be
murdered in cold blood.
Mrs. MOlle Clark, wife of the defend
ant, said she had been married to defend
ant about three years. Her marriage GER
uticate was produced and offered in evil
denCe. She was living at Annie kelm's |
when first met Clark. She knew him
two months before her marriage. She had |
known O'Neil. He had been friend of
hers. When he saw a letter from Clark
he said il ! ever married Clark he would .
kill me. Objection, and latter part Of the
question ordered out. The conversation
was at Annie Keim's, before her marriage. |
.0'Neil said if ! ever married Clark he |
would kill us both. | told Clark about il .
right after we were married. We kept !
house in Washington nearly two years,
ana then we went to Elm Grove.
| saw O'Neal once while lived in Wash |
ington, and told my husband about it. |
saw him next in this city, at Annie Keim's. |
would not talk to him there. / saw |
0'Neal ut Elm Grove on March ID. He .
was coming up the railroad. Nv sister .
and were in the yard. She called atten-
ton to him, and went in the house and ,
shut the door. He came up and raped at |
Mrs. GOOdalPs door. ] then begged my |
husband to come in. told my husband |
Mrs. GoOdall said O'Neall hadI a revolver. |
and said he was going to kill US. NV hus- |
band and then went over to Martins. |
! thought by going there we would have |
no trouble with O'Neal. Mrs. Martin ad-
vised me to bring my husband over, as |
O'Neal had told her he was going to kill
us both. did not see the shooting, but | |
saw O'Neal with a revolver, when he and |
my husband were standingon the railroad.
saw the shooting begin. Then l went |
around the house.
,, On croSs-eNaminatiOn witness said she |
did not see her husband have a revolver, |
and did not know where he got one. She .
had not seen the pistol until she saw it in ,
the 'Squire's office. Witness did not |
know where her sister Mrs. I.ohmau) and |
her husband, were, nor did she know why |
they lad gone away. When she saw |
her husband and O'Neil on the road, the |
latter had a pistol in his hand. The two |
men We're talking. Witness then went |
back behind the house. She did not know |
her husband had revolver, and had gone
out to kill ONeil. Q'Geil had offered to |
kill her sister that day, thinking it was
witness Her sister ran away, and went |
after William ThoFnhurg to have him ar
! rested.
Elmer Clark, the defendant, was put on !